Afrobeats star Rema faced backlash after arriving 30 minutes late to his Coachella 2025 set, delivering a performance fans criticized for lip-syncing and poor coordination. The underwhelming show, which ended abruptly and lacked expected guest appearances, has sparked fresh debate over artist reliability and global representation at major festivals.
Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema faced a wave of criticism after arriving significantly late to his scheduled set at Coachella 2025, leaving fans disappointed both at the festival and online. The 22-year-old singer was set to perform on the Mojave stage from 6:40 to 7:25 p.m. PT but didn’t appear until over halfway into his allotted time. In his absence, a DJ and a small band tried to maintain the energy, hyping the crowd repeatedly and promising Rema’s arrival "any moment now."
When Rema eventually took the stage, the momentum had already dwindled. Viewers pointed out what seemed like lip-syncing, awkward pauses for water, and confusion over setlist choices. At one point, he restarted a track entirely to play another instead. By the time the set came to an abrupt end, many fans were left puzzled and underwhelmed.
Social media platforms lit up with real-time reactions. Festivalgoers and livestream viewers expressed frustration over what they called a disorganized and lackluster performance. Some questioned the absence of dancers and stage design, while others noted the lack of vocal consistency. Many fans had also speculated about a potential surprise appearance by Selena Gomez, Rema’s collaborator on the chart-topping remix of Calm Down, but she never appeared.
This isn’t the first time Rema has come under fire for disrupted performances. In past shows, including events in Atlanta and North Carolina, he walked offstage due to technical issues or production concerns, citing a lack of respect for his artistry.
Rema, whose real name is Divine Ikubor, has built a reputation as one of Afrobeats’ brightest talents, but Sunday’s Coachella performance has sparked conversations about professionalism, reliability, and what audiences expect from global stars representing the genre on major stages.
